Dylann Roof, accused of the racially motivated massacre of nine African American parishioners last year at Charleston's Emanuel AME Church, was attacked and beaten Thursday by a black inmate in a South Carolina jail, authorities said.
Charleston County Sheriff Al Cannon Jr. said that Roof, who is white, was out of his cell and on his way to the shower when the attack happened at the Charleston County Detention Center.
Although he was in protective custody, Roof, 22, was vulnerable because only one guard was in the area and he was fetching toilet tissue for another inmate, Cannon said. That allowed another inmate, 25-year-old Dwayne Stafford, time to run down the stairs from his cell in the protective custody unit and assault Roof with his fists, the sheriff said.
No weapons were involved in the attack and Roof was able to return to his cell after being treated, Cannon said.
